Blockchain Rust Implementation

A lightweight and efficient blockchain implementation in Rust that features transaction management, signature verification, and Merkle tree implementation for block validation.

Features

• Transaction creation and management
• Cryptographic signature verification
• Merkle tree for transaction validation
• Thread-safe nonce management
• Configurable transaction pool size
• Memory-efficient block storage

Installation

Add this to your Cargo.toml:

[dependencies]
blockchain_rs = "0.1.0"

Quick Start

use blockchain_rs::{Transaction, Config, TransactionPool, NonceManager, Blockchain};
use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};

fn main() {
    // Initialize blockchain components
    let mut blockchain = Blockchain::new();
    let config = Config::load_config();
    let key_pair = Transaction::construct_key_pair();
    let nonce_manager = Arc::new(Mutex::new(NonceManager::new()));
    let mut tx_pool = TransactionPool::new(config.max_transactions_per_pool);

    // Create and sign a transaction
    let mut tx = Transaction::new("sender", "receiver", "1 ETH", nonce_manager.clone());
    tx.signature(&key_pair);
    
    // Add to pool
    tx_pool.update_pending_pool(tx, &mut blockchain);
}

Core Components

Blockchain

The main data structure that maintains the chain of blocks. Each block contains:

• Previous block hash (Option)
• Merkle tree root
• Timestamp
• Block index

Transaction

Represents a single transaction in the blockchain:

• Sender address
• Receiver address
• Amount
• Digital signature
• Nonce for ordering

TransactionPool

Manages pending transactions:

• Configurable pool size
• Transaction validation
• Block creation triggers

NonceManager

Handles transaction ordering:

• Thread-safe design
• Sequential nonce assignment
• Prevents double-spending

Creating Multiple Transactions

let mut tx1 = Transaction::new("Alice", "Bob", "1 eth", nonce_manager.clone());
let mut tx2 = Transaction::new("Bob", "Charlie", "2 eth", nonce_manager.clone());

tx1.signature(&key_pair);
tx2.signature(&key_pair);

transact_pool.update_pending_pool(tx1, &mut chain);
transact_pool.update_pending_pool(tx2, &mut chain);

Viewing Blockchain State

for block in &chain.chain {
    println!("Block Index: {:?}", block.tree);
    println!("Previous Hash: {}", 
        block.previous_hash.as_ref().unwrap_or(&"Genesis Block".to_string()));
}

Configuration

The blockchain can be configured through the Config struct:

• Maximum transactions per pool
• Block size limits

Configuration

The blockchain is configured through a block_config.json file that should be placed in your project's root directory:

{
    "max_transactions_per_pool": 100,
    "block_size_limit": 1024,
}

Configuration Parameters

• max_transactions_per_pool: Maximum number of transactions allowed in the memory pool
• block_size_limit: Maximum size of a block in bytes

Loading Configuration

use blockchain_rs::Config;

fn main() {
    // Load configuration from block_config.json
    let config = Config::load_config();
    
    // Initialize blockchain with config
    let mut blockchain = Blockchain::new();
    let mut tx_pool = TransactionPool::new(config.max_transactions_per_pool);
}

Best Practices

1. Always verify transaction signatures before adding to pool
2. Use proper error handling for failed transactions
3. Implement proper synchronization for multi-threaded access
4. Regularly backup blockchain state
5. Monitor transaction pool size

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by blockchain fundamentals and best practices
• Built with Rust's safety and performance principles
• Utilizing modern cryptographic standards

Future Improvements

• Add consensus mechanism
• Implement network layer
• Add smart contract support
• Enhance transaction validation
• Add block pruning capabilities